You may earn a maximum of 3 points toward your final grade by doing the above and answering the questions and submitting them on time (no later than Sunday, February 11 on or before 12:01am). Any worksheets submitted after the deadline will get a 0. You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
The play opens up and it is late summer in the year 1986 on a Native American Reservation in Canada close to Toronto. The specific reservation is the Wasaychigan Hill Indian Reserve. It is in Manitoulin Island, Ontario. The first characters we are introduced to are the sisters Pelajia Patchnose and Philomena Moosetail.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion is started and introduced to the reader when Annie Cook who is half sister of the two characters we have already met, Philomena and Pelajia, comes up the ladder where the other two girls are working to let them know she has received a package from her daughter. They start discussing bingo and you can tell it is an important conversation piece around the reservation. The true intrusion occurs when we are introduced to the following; Marie-Adele Starblanket half sister to Philomena and Pelajia and sister to Annie, Veronique St. Pierre sister in law to all of the characters introduced thus far, Zhaboonigan Peterson adopted daughter of Veronique St. Piere. Marie- Adele and Veronique start discussing rumors they heard about something called THE BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD which is suppose to be happening in Toronto. Since we already have the background knowledge that bingo is important to the women we see this rumor start to fly with all the characters once it becomes known to them. First they obsess over confirmation of its existence and then they obsess over how they can go.
3. What is the unique factor?
The unique factor is introduced once the women gain confirmation that THE BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD actually has been scheduled in Toronto. They then make the decision to go shortly afterwards. This starts the climax of the story to start building up. The intrusive question has been solidified and we now know where this play is taking us.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
The dramatic questions that should be answered by the end of the play are; 1.) Will the women go to Toronto to play this holy grail of bingo games? 2.) Will the women find internal resolution amongst themselves on the reservation? 3.) Will Zhaboonigan be brought to light and her intricate character be more exposed? 4.) Will the women make it off the reservation? etc.
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
(Information known by one character) There is the information provided by my favorite character Zhaboonigan. She comes across a very simple character yet she is almost having her own entire story line on the side of this main story line. I think she calls our attention back to her complexity this way. She can see Nanabush and actually comes into contact with this spirit towards the end of the play. She tells the audience about her abuse as a child by some guys who picked her up under the guise of offering her a ride. This moment of clarity of her is the first time we see her intricate complexity.
(Information known by the entire character cast) I would say this is almost everything we experience. All from knowing about Emily's relationship withBig Joey, or knowing about THE BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD, or knowing about their intricate lives on the reservation. These women are all related one way or another so the majority of information presented is presented in a knowing sort of way.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
I would say the most theatrical moment of the play is when all the women start to clash heads in the store. They all open up and start shouting angry and hurtful things towards each other. The only cast member who does not do this is once again Zhaboonigan. I think this is important for the play because it really does showcase to the audience and reader how well these women really do know each other. It also shows that they are so close they can say these things and it does not even cause a rift. They argue and yell and then shortly thereafter they are fine again and discussing trip details.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Diversity, Small town life, Feminism, New age feminism, Family life, Children, Race, White Colonialism, Old world religion, Spirituality, Money, Wealth, Relationships, Mental Health, Familial obligations, etc
8. What does the chief character want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
I do not know If I would claim that any of the women are the chief character. After reading the play the women are all so intricate that they each stand out for themselves. All the women want the same thing and that is to win THE BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD. Each one of the women goes into explicit detail about what they will do with the prize money "when" they win. The obstacles that stand in the way are money, relationships, distance, and transportation. We can see that Nanabush is hovering around during this time while they are all trying to figure it out. They come together to fundraise to earn the money to go and each woman gives her part to make it possible.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
Imagery is huge in this play and overall for Native American Theater. This type of theater is very nature and spiritual based. We have Nanabush who is constantly there and is some sort of trickster for them. This highlights the fact that lots of tumultuous events are going to occur. We have the reservation itself which is far away from anything else and seems to glue the women there. This is once again transparent when they are mesmerized by the idea of a friend of theirs buying a car because owning a car is not common. We have Emily wearing pants which is uncommon and considered very modern. This shows the conservative opinions on the reservation towards women. The title directly ties into Emily. She is looked at with a bit of awe form the other women because she "Got out" and they didn't think she would come back. Yet she did which highlights again that idea that they will never get away from the reservation and reach their goal which is Toronto. Emily tells them stories of being powerful and in charge of her life with her friends and they called themselves "The Rez sisters." We then see this paradox shift. Though Emily came back to the reservation and we think its highlighting the fact that the women will never get away we also see these women somewhat embody these characters that Emily told them about. They become the Rez sisters. The sisters of the reservation. They are strong women who find their own way off of the reservation towards they goal they all hope to achieve.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
We start off the play knowing all the relationships between the women. It is clear that they are all related to one another some how or another. They go beyond this though because they do not act like a traditional family. They act like a self built family of friends. Nuclear families tend to have this attitude towards one another and these women do not have that. I think this is because reservations are so small everyone is related somehow or another. They are use to this type of life and way of things so to them they do not see it as a big deal. This make it more genuine when they do form these friendship families. They bond over their shared goal and aspirations. On the way to Toronto we see the women open themselves. up to one another and along the way throughout the play we learn more and more about them and their connection to one another. Beside this big one we also have the smaller nuclear families. Pelajia Patchnose and Philomena Moosetail are sisters. Marie-Adele Starblanket, Annie Cook, and Emily Dictionary are sisters and all half sisters of Pelajia and Philomena. Veronique St. Pierre is Zhaboonigan's adopted mother and she is also the sister in law of all the other women.
You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
The play opens up and it is late summer in the year 1986 on a Native American Reservation in Canada close to Toronto. The specific reservation is the Wasaychigan Hill Indian Reserve. It is in Manitoulin Island, Ontario. The first characters we are introduced to are the sisters Pelajia Patchnose and Philomena Moosetail.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion is started and introduced to the reader when Annie Cook who is half sister of the two characters we have already met, Philomena and Pelajia, comes up the ladder where the other two girls are working to let them know she has received a package from her daughter. They start discussing bingo and you can tell it is an important conversation piece around the reservation. The true intrusion occurs when we are introduced to the following; Marie-Adele Starblanket half sister to Philomena and Pelajia and sister to Annie, Veronique St. Pierre sister in law to all of the characters introduced thus far, Zhaboonigan Peterson adopted daughter of Veronique St. Piere. Marie- Adele and Veronique start discussing rumors they heard about something called THE BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD which is suppose to be happening in Toronto. Since we already have the background knowledge that bingo is important to the women we see this rumor start to fly with all the characters once it becomes known to them. First they obsess over confirmation of its existence and then they obsess over how they can go.
3. What is the unique factor?
The unique factor is introduced once the women gain confirmation that THE BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD actually has been scheduled in Toronto. They then make the decision to go shortly afterwards. This starts the climax of the story to start building up. The intrusive question has been solidified and we now know where this play is taking us.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
The dramatic questions that should be answered by the end of the play are;
1.) Will the women go to Toronto to play this holy grail of bingo games?
2.) Will the women find internal resolution amongst themselves on the reservation?
3.) Will Zhaboonigan be brought to light and her intricate character be more exposed?
4.) Will the women make it off the reservation?
etc.
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
(Information known by one character)
There is the information provided by my favorite character Zhaboonigan. She comes across a very simple character yet she is almost having her own entire story line on the side of this main story line. I think she calls our attention back to her complexity this way. She can see Nanabush and actually comes into contact with this spirit towards the end of the play. She tells the audience about her abuse as a child by some guys who picked her up under the guise of offering her a ride. This moment of clarity of her is the first time we see her intricate complexity.
(Information known by the entire character cast)
I would say this is almost everything we experience. All from knowing about Emily's relationship withBig Joey, or knowing about THE BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD, or knowing about their intricate lives on the reservation. These women are all related one way or another so the majority of information presented is presented in a knowing sort of way.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
I would say the most theatrical moment of the play is when all the women start to clash heads in the store. They all open up and start shouting angry and hurtful things towards each other. The only cast member who does not do this is once again Zhaboonigan. I think this is important for the play because it really does showcase to the audience and reader how well these women really do know each other. It also shows that they are so close they can say these things and it does not even cause a rift. They argue and yell and then shortly thereafter they are fine again and discussing trip details.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Diversity, Small town life, Feminism, New age feminism, Family life, Children, Race, White Colonialism, Old world religion, Spirituality, Money, Wealth, Relationships, Mental Health, Familial obligations, etc
8. What does the chief character want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
I do not know If I would claim that any of the women are the chief character. After reading the play the women are all so intricate that they each stand out for themselves. All the women want the same thing and that is to win THE BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD. Each one of the women goes into explicit detail about what they will do with the prize money "when" they win. The obstacles that stand in the way are money, relationships, distance, and transportation. We can see that Nanabush is hovering around during this time while they are all trying to figure it out. They come together to fundraise to earn the money to go and each woman gives her part to make it possible.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
Imagery is huge in this play and overall for Native American Theater. This type of theater is very nature and spiritual based. We have Nanabush who is constantly there and is some sort of trickster for them. This highlights the fact that lots of tumultuous events are going to occur. We have the reservation itself which is far away from anything else and seems to glue the women there. This is once again transparent when they are mesmerized by the idea of a friend of theirs buying a car because owning a car is not common. We have Emily wearing pants which is uncommon and considered very modern. This shows the conservative opinions on the reservation towards women. The title directly ties into Emily. She is looked at with a bit of awe form the other women because she "Got out" and they didn't think she would come back. Yet she did which highlights again that idea that they will never get away from the reservation and reach their goal which is Toronto. Emily tells them stories of being powerful and in charge of her life with her friends and they called themselves "The Rez sisters." We then see this paradox shift. Though Emily came back to the reservation and we think its highlighting the fact that the women will never get away we also see these women somewhat embody these characters that Emily told them about. They become the Rez sisters. The sisters of the reservation. They are strong women who find their own way off of the reservation towards they goal they all hope to achieve.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
We start off the play knowing all the relationships between the women. It is clear that they are all related to one another some how or another. They go beyond this though because they do not act like a traditional family. They act like a self built family of friends. Nuclear families tend to have this attitude towards one another and these women do not have that. I think this is because reservations are so small everyone is related somehow or another. They are use to this type of life and way of things so to them they do not see it as a big deal. This make it more genuine when they do form these friendship families. They bond over their shared goal and aspirations. On the way to Toronto we see the women open themselves. up to one another and along the way throughout the play we learn more and more about them and their connection to one another. Beside this big one we also have the smaller nuclear families.
Pelajia Patchnose and Philomena Moosetail are sisters.
Marie-Adele Starblanket, Annie Cook, and Emily Dictionary are sisters and all half sisters of Pelajia and Philomena.
Veronique St. Pierre is Zhaboonigan's adopted mother and she is also the sister in law of all the other women.